THE EUROPEAN Parliament's Brexit negotiator, Guy Verhofstadt, has said he won't "go soft" on Britain in upcoming exit talks as it would feed other anti-EU parties elsewhere.

Mr Verhofstadt said he could not allow "wiggle room to extract favours and deals" or risk strengthening other groups who believe that "the EU is a doormat".

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Guy Verhofstadt has vowed not to "go soft" on Britain in the upcoming Brexit talksCredit: Getty Images

In an extract from his new book, 'Europe's Last Chance' in The New European, the EU bigwig said that he would not allow the Union to give the UK a good deal.

"If we’re soft now with Britain, giving it too much wiggle room to extract favours and deals, we will feed anti-European parties elsewhere in Europe and strengthen nationalists’ and populists’ belief that the EU is a doormat," he said.

The former Belgian PM added that there was "no way back" and pleaded with EU leaders to get on with Brexit and not let it "drag on for years".

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The Government have brought forward a Bill to trigger Article 50 after this week's Supreme Court rulingCredit: PA:Press Association

But he admitted that Brits were right to "question the ability of the EU to meet the challenges we Europeans face" and insisted that the bloc must accept the outcome of the referendum and "use it as an opportunity to reform".

Mr Verhofstadt said the other 27 member states needed to "move forward" and urged leaders to "undertake a fundamental redesign of the EU".

"Brexit provides a golden opportunity to put an end to the politics of horse trading and papering over the cracks that has characterised Europe since the 1957 Treaty of Rome," he said.

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But in a dismissive parting shot, he added: "If some countries, with the UK at the front of the queue, do not want full membership, so be it."

He also hinted that a two-tier membership of the EU could solve some of its problems - rather than the current complex system of opt-outs, rebates and differing relationships.

"The British referendum should lead to exactly that clear choice—between full membership, associated status, or no relationship at all," he said.

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David Davis, the Brexit secretary, has said the UK will fight for a unique deal with the EUCredit: Getty Images

It came as Chancellor Philip Hammond insisted Britain would play by the rules on trade talks saying the UK was "fully engaged" in the EU until Brexit.

The Chancellor said he was "mindful" of EU regulations as he arrived for a meeting of EU finance ministers in Brussels.

He said: "Of course we want to strengthen our trade ties with the very many trade partners we have around the world, but we're very mindful of our obligations under the treaty and we will follow them precisely."

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Theresa May will trigger Article 50 by the end of March, she saidCredit: AP:Associated Press

Brexit Secretary David Davis met Mr Verhofstadt, the Belgian leading the European Parliament’s Brexit negotiations, last November.